With These Paws, I'll Protect You
by Fae 206
Summary: Joint with Still a Beast. Eight years following the curse breaking, Adam is beloved by those under his rule and next in line to be king when he is targeted by two unknown persons from a foreign land. When his children are threatened, Adam dies protecting them. However, instead of dying he transforms back into the beast. Will his family accept him? Will the country accept him?
1. Chapter 1

**AN: This one is linked to Still A Beast. It will obviously have some similarities to Back to Beast but there are some differences as well. Hope you enjoy.**

**With these Paws, I'll Protect You**

**Chapter One**

Adam sighed as he heard the sound of the carriage arriving at the castle again. He had been visiting his parents who, it seemed, couldn't care less about him other than the fact that since the death of his brother he was next in line for the throne. This winter they had wanted him to meet with two rulers from neighboring kingdoms who he would want to have solid diplomatic relationships with. Eight years ago, when he was covered in fur with large fangs, he wouldn't have been able to do that.

He felt tired but as he saw his wife standing in front of the castle, he felt the energy in him again and ran over to her, wrapping his arms around her as she kissed him a few times. "I'm home," he said and heard Belle sniff. "I told you that I'd try my best to be home before Christmas," he commented and tucked some of her hair behind her ear.

Over the years, his relationship with Belle had deepened and they were more than best friends, more than spouses, and more than parents to their one-year-old daughter and five-year-old son. They were bonded so well that their bodies seemed to go into withdrawal upon separation. "I missed you," Adam told Belle who took a step back and placed a gloved hand on his cheek.

"I missed you more," Belle argued and he smiled. He would have never believed he could be this lucky after he had been cursed but Belle had proven him wrong. "Come in," she said as she took his hand and her eyes caught with a haggard woman for a moment. Her heartbeat stopped and she placed a hand on Adam's chest and a kiss on his cheek. "Hold on for a moment?" she asked but as she looked again the older woman had left.

"Belle," Adam called as he turned to her, "What is it?" he asked as he came to put a hand on her shoulder and kissed her cheek. Belle looked ahead of her but shook her head. She was just happy that he was home. For four solid years after his transformation, Adam had schooled himself on everything he had missed out on especially about diplomacy. He would have studied about seven hours a day, sometimes staying up late in the night. He had missed out on education as a child and had done his best for the township by becoming the prince that they deserved.

Of course, his rule extended further than the town and that had led to Belle visiting new towns and villages that she hadn't thought about going to. They had married one year after he had transformed and their first child, Riva, had been conceived during that second year of marriage, Charlotte had been born to them only a year ago creating the four-person-family.

"It's nothing," Belle attempted to reassure him. She saw his driver getting the bags and she wrapped her arms around Adam again. What people didn't know was of the lack of confidence he carried after having been a beast for ten years. She tried to help him with that. "I thought that I saw something."

Belle entered the castle before feeling an icy cold and she could see that Adam was sensing it too. She heard a sound from near the kitchen and something made her feel that her gut was going to fall out of her stomach. She saw Adam look up in fear before he went towards the sound. As Belle followed him she could hear the sound of a baby crying and she picked up the speed.

Adam was the first to enter the room and scanned the area. There were two servants on the floor, one of them a maid and the other a guard. They appeared unconscious. He could also see Riva holding Charlotte in his arms and trying to hide from two masked figures. He felt something strange about them but without a moment of hesitation, he ran forwards and stood in front of his offspring.

"What are you doing here!?" he growled and one of the people, a man with a voice that he couldn't place, laughed at this. Adam didn't give a damn about his backstory. He needed to protect his children. "Get the hell out of here!" he roared and Belle ran to stand beside him. "Protect the children," he told her and Belle looked between him and the two hooded figures.

"Adam…" she tried to reason but he shot her a look saying that he wasn't playing and that there was no room for negotiating. Belle nodded and ran over to their babies. She held them both in her arms and then tried to slowly move back as Adam faced them.

"You shouldn't have done that," a woman said and Adam felt the pain within him. These were his children. He would defend his _children_ with his life. The man seemed to see how his attention had changed and approached Belle. Adam grabbed his wrist, throwing a couple of punches at him and trying to reach across for a knife. This was an intrusion and he wanted to avoid killing them but they were aiming to hurt his family.

"Get the hell out before I kill you," he threatened, his eyes narrowing. "You will _never_ go near my children!"

The man attempted to fight back and Adam quickly got him to the ground but before he could see who the man was, he felt a sharp pain in his side that kept stinging and throbbing. He tried to get the woman too but his body felt heavy and he sank to the ground. He heard Belle screaming and weeping and as the two intruders seemed to vanish into thin air, she was at his side.

"Adam," she sobbed before grabbing his jacket and placing it against the wound. She didn't know who these people were but the fact that they had left after immobilizing him meant that they wanted his death and were using their children as bait.

"Papa?" Riva asked as he saw his father struggling to keep his eyes open. Belle gently turned him over, doing her best to stop the bleeding.

"Stay with us, my love" she begged reminded of that time with Gaston all of those years ago. She gently touched his forehead and saw the blood loss appearing in the color of his skin, he was shaking and his breaths were getting shorter and harder to control. Belle saw the servants regain consciousness and turned to them. "We need help, tell them that Adam has been stabbed!" she yelled through tears.

"Promise me that you'll fight," she told him before closing her eyes and kissing his lips. She needed to know that he was still here. However as she closed her eyes, his mouth seemed to change. It was growing larger and there were fangs and bigger teeth. She felt something pushing against her knees and stood up immediately. She grabbed Riva and pulled him back carefully so he didn't drop Charlotte.

In front of her eyes, Adam was changing into the form she had met him as. He was getting those familiar horns and tail back, his hands were becoming paws and his breathing seemed more steady. She heard the rip of his clothes and saw the fur on his chest as he regained the form of a beast. She heard Riva starting to panic and held him close to her.

"It's okay," she tried to tell him. "It's okay. It'll be okay."

As the transformation ended, Belle saw Adam's gorgeous blue eyes open and he turned to her. Belle smiled in relief as he watched her. He coughed but his body didn't feel in pain any longer. It felt warmer as if he were under a heavy blanket.

"Belle?" he growled, "How am I alive?" he asked before reaching out a paw for her and his eyes widened as he saw the familiar paw instead of his human hand. He looked to his other hand before sitting up, taking a look at his tail.

"Slowly," Belle said as she moved over to him, as she removed her arms from Riva, he seemed to run from her, hiding from his own father. "My love, please be careful," she sobbed before noticing that the wound wasn't there any longer. She knelt beside him and kissed the side of his head just underneath his horn. "Please try to go slow," she begged him and heard him cough as he wore the rags that he had made from the clothes that had been too small for him in this form.

"Should I have died?" Adam asked and Belle paused, she didn't know how to answer that.

"I'm here," she attempted to reassure him as Adam caught a glimpse of his reflection. He had truly believed that he would never look this way again and that Belle had saved him from his isolation. Belle looked up to see Cogsworth there in human form.

"What is happening?" he asked slowly as he took in Adam's form. "Sire?"

"Please take care of my children," Adam pleaded as his eyes went over to Riva who was still staring at him as if he was a monster sent to hurt him. Belle gently let her hand go through his fur and snuggled into his side.

"We need to make accommodations for him," she told Cogsworth who nodded. Once the children were taken out of the room, Belle moved forwards until she was positioned over Adam's legs. She had tears in her eyes as she faced him but kissed him again, not caring about the size or shape of either his jaw or his teeth. "Can you stand?" she asked making sure to make direct eye contact with him.

Adam nervously stood, feeling the weight of this returned form.

"I'll ask the guards to do more surveillance," she promised him. "but let's go to bed," she told him and Adam watched her. "I love you," she told him and when he was able to stand fully she ran into his chest, wrapping her arms around him as far as they could go. "I love you," she repeated and Adam turned to her.

"I don't think we should be in the bed together, you don't deserve to be with a hideous beast," he said and Belle placed her hands on his cheeks.

"You don't deserve this form but I want to stay with the man who loves and respects me and dotes on me whilst at the same time giving me independence. I want to be with my husband," she told him and Adam looked away.

"Some kind of man," he scoffed and Belle kissed him again causing him to look at her nervously.

"You will always be my Prince Adam no matter what," she assured him before leading him back to their room. He needed rest and she needed to be with him. Hopefully all of that good wouldn't unravel in just one day.

**End of Chapter One**

**Thank you for reading, reviews are appreciated**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

Belle had been certain that Adam would continue to protest their physical attachment but he had gone to the bed and after she had helped him with a damp cloth to his forehead, he had fallen asleep. There was still a lot that they would have to figure out together but Belle didn't want to leave him. She had requested that Lumiere stay in the children's room that night. She trusted him to keep the children safe.

She saw Adam growl a little and gently stroked his fur back, gazing upon him affectionately. "Hello, my love," she told him before the two of them were distracted by a wolf howl. That was strange. The wolves hadn't been there fore a long time. She felt Adam's body stiffen. He sat upright and Belle put her hands to his side. He didn't have any clothes this time, all that he was wearing were in shreds due to the expansion of his body.

"They've tracked something down," Adam said before going to the window and Belle tried to not say anything about his naked body but then she felt her gut sink. Something had happened. Something had gone very very wrong. She was caught off guard when Adam jumped out of the window and started climbing down quickly before running off into the woods.

She wrapped an arm around herself before hearing Lumiere's voice.

"Is Riva here?" he asked and Belle looked at him in shock. She started to piece together what had happened and grabbed a robe. She had to go after them before it was too late.

…..

…..

Riva felt scared with the monster in the house. He had seen the monster take the place of his father but his mind wasn't ready to accept that that _was_ his father. His mother didn't seem to be able to help him, she had sided on the monster's side. His grandfather might help him. He had travelled with both of his parents through the woods, he could do it again.

As he seemed to have lost his way, Riva turned from side to side nervously. He didn't know where to go. He wasn't used to doing this alone and they had never gone out this later either. He started to sob but as he turned around blinded by tears, his foot caught under a tree root and he sobbed painfully. He wanted to go home.

He heard a wolf howl in the distance and felt even more afraid. His mother and father would usually hold him close and promise to protect him when he heard a scary noise like this. Nobody was here at this time. He was alone. As Riva attempted to stand up, he froze as he came face to face with a wolf. He panicked a little, his breath racing in his throat.

He held tight to a teddy bear that he had had since he was a baby and looked around to see another wolf approaching him. He was going to get hurt and he hadn't wanted to get hurt. He would get in trouble if he got hurt.

He saw a wolf run towards him but then heard a louder roar and felt something on top of him, guarding him and saw the monster from the castle. He shivered as the monster turned to him and then exhaled with the air being seen from his nose. The monster was protecting him using its whole body?

Riva nervously shivered but the beast moved closer to him despite the wolves snapping at his body. Adam tried as hard as he could to fight despite the fact that he could only defend and protect his child. Each time a wolf would jump at him and bite him, he would attempt to use his body to deflect them but he couldn't be on the offensive like when he had protected Belle. He needed to protect Riva until his death.

As the painful bites increased, Adam heard Belle calling out to him. "Adam! Stop it!" she said and Adam looked at her. He picked Riva up with his teeth and tossed him to Belle who caught him.

"Run," he whispered as he leapt in front of Belle and Phillipe. Belle looked at him, worried for him but she could see the drive to protect their son and so held him close to her. She hated riding back to the castle but she knew he wouldn't let them chase her.

Adam could now work on the offensive. After receiving so much damage from the wolves already, it was harder this time but he wanted to keep going. He had to stop the wolves from getting any closer to Belle and Riva. He had fortunately arrived before Riva had been too badly hurt. His eyes narrowed and he roared as he moved forwards to attack.

Belle heard the roars from both sides as she galloped away at full speed. She didn't want to think that Adam would fail but Riva had run away and that meant that Adam would give his life if it saved him. Belle felt relief as she saw a few of the guards riding on horseback to the woods. She saw Cogsworth and handed him Riva.

"I have to go back," she declared. "I have to make sure that he's okay," she explained before looking at her old friend and seeing him nod as he held Riva tightly in his arms. Belle turned Phillipe around and followed the guards. It was just like him to protect them. She just wanted for him to be alive.

As she followed the torches that the guards were holding, she saw his limp body in the snow and the wounds all over his body. She patted Phillipe before jumping down and went over to Adam. She knelt down in the snow and then put her hand to his forehead. She saw his blue eyes open weakly and she wrapped her arms around his neck. "We have to get him help," she told them and the guards nodded, one of them getting off of his horse that made Phillippe look like a toy pony.

"Riva?" Adam asked nervously and Belle put a hand to his back.

"He's fine, he's safe," she said as she saw Adam smile. She saw the guard put him on the back of a horse and she kissed the top of his head. "You're safe too," she told him and he looked at her seeing the tears in her eyes. He reached out his paw for her and Belle held it close to her heart. "Please protect him," she begged the guards and saw them lead him back to the castle.

As Belle followed, she tried to rub the tears away from her face. She was thinking two things, one, how she always wanted to make Adam see how loved he was and how proud she was to be his wife and second, how they would have to figure out this clothing situation as early as possible.

….

….

Belle felt relieved when she finally heard Adam growl in pain whilst she tended to the large wound on his arm where the wolf had torn off some skin. She had expected for him to gain consciousness before this and had even hoped that he would wake up soon after she had finished with the painful part but to hear him make noise comforted her.

"I know," she told him as she kissed him between his horns, "I know that it stings and that it hurts but you have to try to be strong through it, okay?" she asked him as she finished cleaning the wound and bandaged it up. He had several bandages all over his body but she had taken care to treat all of his wounds. He looked up at the ceiling, gasping for air.

"Adam?" Belle asked as she gently caressed his cheek.

"Riva," Adam said desperately, "You said that he's okay."

"His father saved him," Belle said as she reexamined his body to make sure that she had taken care of all the wounds and wrapped the ones that needed more time to heal. "His wise and loving father," she let her hand touch his forehead and she gently ran her fingers through his mane. She loved him. It didn't matter what form that he was in, she loved him.

"He wouldn't have been out there if he wasn't scared," Adam said slowly as he closed his eyes and once again, Belle stroked him by his horn. He smiled, purring a little and she raised an eyebrow before seeing his tail move as she rubbed the horn. It was a strange reaction but Adam needed to know that this wasn't his fault.

"He's young, they are both young but remember how you got into this condition," Belle tried to remind him. "You risked your own life to save theirs. We'll pull through this as a family and they'll become used to the idea," she tried to reassure him before hearing him purr again as she let her finger rub the base of his horn. "Adam, how are you feeling?"

"That…that makes me…it feels…" Adam said as he concentrated on how her finger felt and he felt a little embarrassed by the response that his body was giving. He tried to think what was the best approach to this but decided to be honest, "There's a certain erotic feeling to this," he commented and Belle smiled as she kissed each horn. She would have to figure out how her husband's body worked now.

"I'll have to learn what other things turn you on," she smiled to him before seeing him look away. "The servants say that you'll have at least one outfit to wear for tomorrow and then there will be new clothes added every day until we cure this," she tried to assure him and Adam paused. He was scared that he would be stuck in this form for the rest of his life. After all, if true love was what was needed then he would have been cured before this.

"Belle, please don't let the children see me eat," he told her and Belle blinked confused. She stared at him and saw the lack of confidence, "I can't hold…in this form small objects like spoons and forks and…"

Belle leaned forward and took his paw in her hand, kissing him on the lips despite the large teeth she could feel. "It's okay. We can work on it. We've done it before," she attempted to remind him and Adam smiled. "Now, since your wounds are healed, I think we should sleep here where it's warm," she said and Adam looked at her. Belle let her head rest on his chest and he smiled. He would have never thought that anyone could love him in this form but Belle didn't appear to mind it.

It truly felt as if Belle truly saw him as himself no matter what outside appearance he held.

**End of Chapter Two**

**Thank you for reading, reviews are appreciated**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Riva was terrified. He had always loved being with his father because his dad had encouraged him how to be strong and make the tougher decisions even if he looked like the bad guy but he also was compassionate and could show them fun and listened to them. His father never wanted them to feel as if they had to hide their feelings behind material wealth and he would read to them amazing stories.

His father was Riva's hero but that…that animal hadn't been, it couldn't be his father. His father wasn't like that. People said how handsome and gorgeous his father was, his papa, but it hadn't been like that. That monster was scary, not beautiful.

Riva couldn't sleep and he heard a tap on the door. He pulled the blankets around him, not wanting to encounter the beast again. He was terrified. He tried to keep hidden but the door opened and he shivered. He felt something draw towards him and wanted to scream out of fear but he couldn't scream. He saw the figure pull back.

"Riva," Belle sighed as she knelt next to the bed and hearing his mother's voice, Riva pulled down the sheets and turned to look at her. "How are you feeling? Did you feel any pains from earlier? The wolves didn't hurt you, did they," she asked as she pushed his hair back and Riva clutched to her arm. Belle hated the fear that had developed in him because she knew it was his father who had put him in this position.

"No. I'm not hurt," he whispered with tears in his eyes. "Just…just scared," he said honestly and Belle sighed. She kissed his forehead lovingly. She had only left her own bed when she had known for certain that Adam had fallen asleep. Belle pulled the blankets back so she could sit on the edge of the bed with her son in her lap.

"Darling," she said affectionately. "There's nothing to be afraid of."

"The monster," Riva said and Belle shook her head, wanting to bridge the newly formed divide between those she loved the most. She knew that Riva loved his father. She knew that Adam had always held his admiration and had been a hero to him, a role model. Now it appeared that those bonds were very close to being broken, if they hadn't been broken already.

"Riva, I know that it's hard to think about. You have to be brave and strong, okay?" she asked as she swept her hand through his hair. "Daddy had to go through that change," she tried to explain to him not sure if he would understand or if he would continue being fearful of his father. "Daddy had to do that to protect us. That _is_ your father just in another form."

"Is that why he protected me?" Riva shivered and Belle pulled him close.

"Our family is the most important thing to your father. Despite his appearance, he would have protected you through anything even if it meant that he died doing it. When I first met your father, he appeared this way and when I fell in love with him he had his true form come back and that's the version of your father that you've always known." The princess pulled her son into a tighter embrace.

"Does he think the same?" Riva asked and Belle nodded.

"He does. Your father has overcome so many personal wounds of his own but that made him the man that you know. Did you want to see him?" she asked and Riva grabbed tight to his teddy bear but nodded. Belle kissed her son's forehead and hoisted him up and into her arms.

Riva shivered and Belle could only hope that this wouldn't make the situation worse. If Adam felt rejected by those he loved the most then that would hurt all of them. Belle knew how much pain he had endured when he had been a beast the first time, he needed acceptance and hopefully their son was brave enough to do that.

…

…

Riva shivered as they entered the room and looked at the monster before turning to his mother. He wanted to run away and hide again but the monster was sleeping and he felt scared about waking him up. If the monster had tricked his mother then he must have a plan and a desire to kill. Riva froze and hid behind the door as Belle watched him sadly.

Hearing a noise in the room, Adam opened his eyes feeling groggy. He stretched out his paw before delivering a heavy exhale. So it wasn't a dream, it hadn't been a dream and he was back, stuck as a beast. He closed his eyes feeling the stabs of pain to his heart and heard a noise in the dark. "Belle?" he asked feeling absolutely exhausted. He blinked into the darkness. Had she left him? Was she no longer comfortable with this form?

"It's okay," Belle said as she came closer to him and gently let her fingers graze through the fur on his cheek. "It's going to be fine," she said as Adam looked at her sadly. "Ada-" she began but Adam flinched at hearing his human name. He pushed his larger head to the pillow. He didn't want to hear it.

"Don't call me that," he said and Belle gently rubbed his back hoping to comfort him. "Please don't call me that," he growled out and Belle turned to Riva. She held out her hand for their son but he continued to hide.

"What do you want me to call you then, my love?" Belle asked as she pressed soft kisses to the back of his head. Adam groaned again.

"Beast," he said and Belle felt a few tears go down her cheeks. She didn't want to call him that. She knew the truth about him now. She knew what a kind and generous man he was. She couldn't just call him some unkind name like that.

"No," she said as she kissed him again. "No. I refuse. You might look different but I know that you are still the man that I fell madly in love with," she heard a noise from where Riva was hiding and saw her son starting to emerge. Belle placed a loving hand on Adam's shoulder as she moved and Adam raised his head before his eyes widened. How long had Riva been there?

…

…

_Adam couldn't control his nerves as he paced outside of the room where Belle was in labor. He felt that he should be with her as she delivered their child but it was supposedly right for him to wait outside. He couldn't control his nerves. There were a lot of complications when it came to the arrival of a new baby and Adam needed to make sure that Belle was okay throughout the procedure. He tapped his foot as he sat down at a bench outside the room._

"_Well, it seems to be in order," Cogsworth told him and Adam looked at him, his eyes wide as he thought about all the possible complications. "I think that soon we will have a new prince or princess to celebrate."_

"_Ah, yes," Lumiere added. "The presence of a young child, it makes everything seem…brighter, don't you think?"_

_Adam pushed a hand through his hair again. It was already loose and hanging over his shoulders. The ponytail that he wore for more formal occasions had lost its form through his nervousness. He was wearing a white long sleeved shirt and brown pants and looked very similar to when he had first transformed back into a human. It might be the nerves which put him into this state._

"_I'm not qualified to be a father," Adam panicked, "I've barely spent any time as a human myself. What if I change back to who I was before?"_

"_Then I would think that your child would have a very furry father," Lumiere joked as he sat down next to Adam and placed a hand on his shoulder. Cogsworth rolled his eyes. _

"_I wouldn't think that possible. With Belle's influence, all of us have been able to take more…relaxed approaches. You had been through a more stressful time before Belle. Since the curse has been broken, you have definitely changed into someone qualified to be a father." _

_Adam stood up and started to pace. He was the prince. He should try to be more refined, hold onto his composure a little more. One day he would be king but fortunately that day hadn't come yet. As he heard the door open though, he saw a smile on the midwife's face and he dashed into the room where a doctor was making sure that Belle was feeling the best she could._

"_He's here," Belle said though she was exhausted. She laughed a little, "He looks like you," she said and Adam was at her side in a flash. He held her hand tightly, bringing it to his lips and kissing it before his eyes focused on a small baby wrapped in a blanket. His eyes widened and he sat down on the chair next to Belle's side. _

"_Congratulations, Sire," the doctor said as he gently handed the baby to Adam who made sure to hold him with as much care and love as possible. "You're a father." Adam grinned happily as he made sure to have a good hold on their child. Belle smiled at him before looking at their son._

"_You're going to be such a good Papa," she said to him before gently touching the small baby's hand. Belle looked at Adam seeing the pure excitement on his face. She was glad that she could see him like this. He had lived so many years conquering his hurt that seeing the times when he was so pure and joyful meant a lot to her. She could definitely tell how much he loved their son already._

…..

…..

"Riva," Adam whispered as he took in the young boy. He didn't want to scare him and he knew how different and beastly he looked when he was like this. He turned to Belle with widened eyes and she gently stroked his horn in an attempt to calm him. "Riva, I'm sorry," he whispered as the boy stood there. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?" he panicked as the knowledge of being a beast left him momentarily and was replaced with concern for his son.

"Papa?" Riva asked and Adam nodded slowly. "You're not my papa," he said and Adam paused, his eyes softening. He wasn't expecting the young boy to just run to him and throw his arms around him. All Adam wanted was for his son to be happy.

"He _is_ your Papa," Belle said as she went to Riva's side. "Remember, he loves you just as much as he always has. He's your father, he's just had a change of his body."

Riva shook his head, "I don't see Papa," he said before running off and Belle turned to Adam. She could see the pain in his eyes and she wanted to calm him but she knew he would want her to talk to Riva first.

"I'll be right back, Adam," Belle whispered and Adam looked at her and got up from the bed which made Belle pause. She saw the defensive look in his eyes and the attempt to protect himself from his son's rejection.

"Beast," he tried to correct her and Belle felt the pain in her heart. "It's Beast now."

**End of Chapter Three**

**Thank you for reading, reviews are appreciated**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

As Belle lay facing Adam in the bed, she took note of the horns, the larger head, the fur. She reached out gently, hoping not to wake him as she let her hand go through some of the fur as he slept. She didn't want to wake him when he seemed so content in sleep. She felt that whilst he was asleep, he had forgotten the form that he had returned to.

She saw his blue eyes open slowly and he smiled to her. Belle grinned back, he looked happy. Despite the face of a beast, it was important that he looked happy. After all, he had risked his life for his family and this was how he was repaid. "Belle," he whispered as he put out his paw to touch her cheek. He blinked as he saw the larger paw of an animal and immediately tried to pull back but Belle placed both hands on his paw keeping it there.

"Adam, it's all right. It's going to be all right," she said and he blinked back at her. Belle could see the fear and apprehension in his expression and she wished he had returned to that warm smile and that peaceful expression.

"My paw," he said as he felt her continuing to press it against her cheek. "I'm not. I'm not Adam anymore," he said and tried to sit up. Belle let his paw go down to her lap but only so that she could place her own hand against his cheek and let her fingers spread out among the fur.

"You _are_ Adam. That doesn't change just because you took on a new form." She saw his eyes go to her as if questioning whether she had said 'new form' this wasn't a new form to him but rather one that had been repeated. Still. This form wasn't human. It didn't feel right to be with her. He didn't _deserve_ to be with her.

"I'm a monster," he commented and Belle took his hand in hers and brought it to her heart. He stared at it horrified. He wanted his human body back with his human hands and feet. He hated seeing the paw. He had learned how to live as a beast for ten years of his life but he didn't want to go back to being that way.

Belle shook her head and let her hand brush against his horn, she saw the pleasure in his eyes as she gently let her fingers stroke him there. He seemed to have a better reaction to that. She didn't know that it made him tingle and felt like an erotic thing. She had never had a horn. How could she understand those emotions.

"You are _not_ a monster," she tried to tell him as she saw the look of shame on his face. "Is your thinking any different from yesterday morning. Are your thoughts different? Do you feel that you are seeing the world through different eyes or as a different person?" she asked him. Adam hesitated but shook his head. No. He didn't feel that he was somebody else but looking at his reflection it felt that he should. "Does your heart feel the same? Has your love changed?"

"I feel angry," Adam admitted, "Hurt but other than those emotions -"

"Those very _human_ and _understandable_ emotions," Belle stressed.

"Yes, apart from those emotions I feel the same as I did when I woke up yesterday morning but look at me," he said as he opened his arms wide. "This isn't the body of a prince. This isn't the appearance that royalty should have. I shouldn't look like this."

"No." Belle said and Adam blinked in surprise to that response, "No. You shouldn't look like that because you didn't do anything wrong but that's what villains do, they attack people who don't do anything wrong. However, you _are_ a prince and I refuse to call you anything other than Adam."

Adam turned to her, his eyes showing his guilt and his sadness. He bowed his head before nodding. He didn't know if he could convince Belle otherwise. He slowly managed to push himself up and out of the bed and Belle reached for his paw hoping to bring him comfort. She saw it all again, his paws in the place of feet, his tail, his larger body parts. Still, he had been nourished by love so he had become the kind and gentle person he had been before he had felt a need to defend himself behind a greedy and self-involved attitude.

He looked across at the tattered clothes and walked over to them, Belle relating his way of walking more to a squirrel than a man but felt guilty of that. Adam was her husband. He wasn't some kind of exotic pet. His paw went over the shirt he had been wearing as human the day before. It was completely torn and ragged. There was no chance of him wearing that shirt in this condition.

"Hold on right there," Belle said before making sure that she had her nightgown and robe on. She walked into the hallway and down the hallway until she found Cogsworth with a grim look on his face. He immediately turned to her when he saw her. "Good morning," Belle smiled in her beautiful way of doing so.

"How is the mas-How is Adam doing this morning?" the former clock asked. He had always been trained to call Adam the master or master but after suffering as a beast for so long, the prince had wanted it to become a little more casual and like a family especially amongst those who had been closest to him during that painful time of adolescence.

"He needs some clothes. Despite the fur I have a feeling that he doesn't want to walk around the castle naked. I came to inquire on whether you had anything. Even a cape might be useful for right now," she said and Cogsworth nodded.

"Mistress Belle," he said and Belle shook his head preferring just to be called by her first name as well. "Let me show you what has been arranged for our dear prince." Belle immediately followed the head of house down the hallway and saw that there were a couple of items of clothing waiting there. There was one pair of trousers with a slit for his tail and a few button down shirts of various colors, all would be a comfortable fabric with elasticity and it wouldn't put too much weight upon his fur.

"These will be ideal, thank you," she said with a bow as she took the larger clothes in her arms.

Cogsworth turned to her nervously, "How is he doing emotionally? If his temper has returned then I ask you to -"

"He's not like that anymore," Belle replied, "but even if he was it would be understandable. I can deal with his anger and I know he'd never hurt me or the children. If he wants to roar then I'll let him roar but right now he's depressed about his condition. As long as we show him love and acceptance I believe he'll grow more comfortable." Belle brought the clothes to her chest. "Thank you for these," she replied before turning and walking back to the bedroom. At least she could help Adam adjust a little more with the help of these items. There would be more to come.

….

….

Adam dabbed at his mouth feeling his large jaw, his large teeth, the way he couldn't really eat properly. If he couldn't eat then he might not be able to survive and then what was the point of that. He was eating by himself so as not to scare either of his children. Would they actually come to accept this about him or would he have to stay away from them forever. He looked down at the porridge that was in front of him and closed his eyes. He felt unclean in more ways than just the food matting to his fur.

As he looked ahead of him at his breakfast and trying to use the spoon and hopelessly failing, he felt a gentle hand massaging his back. He looked back at her and Belle grabbed a napkin, gently rubbing some of the food away from his mouth. She sat down next to him, watching him.

"It's not pretty," he admitted and Belle hummed with a gentle and loving smile on her face. She played with one of the smaller spoons, tapping it on the table. "I probably look worse than Phillippe when I eat."

"About the same," Belle said with a wink, "but that doesn't mean it's not adorable." Belle smiled as she saw him attempt to eat again with the spoon. He was definitely having trouble with it. "Remember how we ate when we had our first meal and you wanted to impress me but were having difficulty with it."

Adam sighed, "I have a feeling that you're not referring to at the ball when I actually ate in a dignified manner," he said and Belle shook her head. She looked into those gorgeous blue eyes and smiled to him, watching him with nothing but the deepest love. Nervously Adam let his paws slide under the bowl and he brought it to his larger mouth, drinking it instead of lapping it up or having trouble with the spoon.

After he had eaten, Belle took his paw in hers. He could grip objects, he had thumbs, he would be able to hold a spoon but the spoon had to be the right size to work. He stared at her as she examined the pad of his paw. It was human-like despite it being covered in fur.

"Do you suppose a kitchen ladle?" she asked aloud and Adam shrugged, watching the way she was examining this returned body feature. "Fold your fingers for me," she asked and he did so not sure whether he could call them 'fingers' any longer. The placement was different from a human hand, they weren't as long but that just meant that he had to hold things a little differently.

"Father might be able to help you with one of his inventions," Belle mused and Adam stared at her. She was comfortable telling Maurice about this? He certainly wasn't.

"It'll be okay," Adam sighed as he bowed his head feeling completely defeated by everything. He looked to the side and his heart stopped as his eyes widened. He tapped Belle and gestured with her head to the little boy who was standing in the doorway. Riva's eyes were wide as he made his way towards the two of them.

Adam didn't know whether to stand up or whether that would scare him more.

"Papa?" Riva asked with tears in his eyes and Adam nodded slowly. Riva wrapped his arms around himself. "I'm sorry," he replied and Adam shook his head looking completely shocked. He knew he looked scary but was his son ready to accept him? Belle moved towards Riva and knelt down with her hands taking his tiny ones.

"Riva?" she asked him as she touched his cheek gently, "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to see Papa to find out if he was _still_ Papa," Riva sniffed and Adam's eyes widened. He turned to the small boy in shock.

"You wanted to see _me?" _he asked and Riva nodded. Adam felt his heart stop and he turned to Belle wondering what the next move should be.

**End of Chapter Four**

**Thank you for reading, reviews are appreciated**

Thank you to singertobe for reviewing Chapter Three


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